Pushing Smoke
by Icecestro Xi
Summary: Ten figures have finally burst free from the hell they had been captive in for so long, but will the outside world prove any better for them? The freedom they taste now is tainted by the uncertainty of how long they will be able to wither their pursuers, who aim to bring them back into the lonely, painful existence they once resided. Sort of Humanstuck. Rated M for some gore p
1. Chapter 1

[Author's Note: Hello everyone. This is your narrator and writer asking you in a lovely welsh accent to please give me your critiques of my writing. This will be only chapter one in what is hopefully a long series to come. I thank you sincerely for taking the time to read this, and thank you even more so if you submit any correction you believe would improve the story. Until I hear from you, Good Day-Sincerely, 8 Icecestro Xi 8 ]

"GODDAMMIT! WHY THE FUCK _WOULDN'T_ WE BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NOOK-SUCKING OCEAN?" exclaimed one of ten shadows emerging from a single cement stairwell in the center of a deserted plateau, precariously set only feet above the violently churning ocean swells. The plateau itself was made of stable, grey stone, but was slick and cold with the wet spray crashing over its sides.

"If I May Interject," requested a pleasant-sounding voice, "It Would Have Not Have Benefitted Them If They Had Constructed A Facility Beneath A Place Of High Population, Where All Sorts Of Problematic Occurrences May Have Arisen." The owner of this voice was another shadow; this one remained huddling in the doorway for protection against the battering wind and bitter cold.

A figure beside the pleasant-sounding shadow added, "Yeah, what she said. Now, can we get a move on? This wind is almost as cool as I am, and the last time I checked Mother-Fucking-Nature doesn't do rap battles." The figure leaned against the doorframe apathetically, not expressing any sign of actually being cold. If he was in fact, cold, then he wasn't about to show it outwardly any time soon.

"I WAS BEING RHETORIC KANAYA. AND IF WE WERE ABLE TO GO ANY FURTHER, WOULD I HAVE FUCKING STOPPED, DUMBASS?" replied the first shadow in disbelief, thoroughly vexed and contemplating exactly how idiotic his travelling companions actually were.

Another figure stepped up from the stairwell, and walked uncertainly to the center of the plateau. "uMMM, I tHINK I cAN dO sOMETHING aBOUT tHE wINd iF, uHHHH, tHAT'S aLRIGHT?" the figure stammered shyly, before being answered enthusiastically by the loud, annoyed shadow.

"YES, TAVROS. THAT WOULD BE ACTUALLY. FUCKING. HELPFUL. WHICH IS MORE THAN I CAN SAY FOR THESE BULGE-TENDERS OVER HERE IN THE SHELTER." he stated, running a palm down his face both in frustration and to remove the condensing water droplets.

"uHH, oKAY. tHANK yOU, I gUESS." the figure named Tavros replied carefully, before turning away from the others and focusing in on himself, taming the flux of emotions inside. From him emanated a bright blue light, splashing over the surroundings and giving way to a surreal blue sphere of perfect calm. The wind and crashing waves immediately around the island stopped, but outwards from that the storm continued to rage.

"2peak for your2elf KK. Wiithout me you wouldn't have even reached the electroniicly coded lock2, much le22 gotten two the door. You're the only one that diidn't do 2hiit." another figure emerging from the doorway stated matter-of-factly, wringing out his shirt to remove the excess moisture. "Bee2iide2, we don't even know where we're going yet, and ii really doubt that you do eiither."

"OF COURSE I KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING. I'M THE LEADER. THAT'S _MY_ JOB. IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE IF YOU GAVE OUT THE ORDERS BECAUSE ONE: NO ONE WOULD FUCKING UNDERSTAND YOU, YOU LISPY DOUCHEBAG, AND TWO: I'M THE LEADER. I HAD TEREZI SCOUT THE MINDS OF THE GUARDS TO SEE HOW THEY GOT HERE. THAT'S HOW I KNOW WHERE WE WILL GO. _NOW WHAT_ ASSHOLE?" replied the loud shadow triumphantly.

"Where do we go then." asked the lispy shadow rhetorically, already knowing that their 'leader' had no idea where to go, or how to get there. Luckily, one of the others cut in before the loud one could create a loop of words to guard himself from admitting he didn't actually know where to go.

"TH3Y 4RR1V3D 1N H3L1C0PT3RS, K4RKL3S." the newest arrival said to a chorus of disheartened sighs and groans, "TH3Y L3FT FR0M 4 L4RG3 C1TY 4L0NG TH3 C04ST 4ND 1T W4SN'T TH4T F4R FR0M 0UR CURR3NT P0S1T10N, B3C4US3 TH3 FL1GHT W4S 0NLY TW0 H0URS L0NG, B4S3D 0N H1S M3M0RY."

This new exposition seemed to bring a little bit of hope back to the group, who all moved onto the platform to get acquainted with their bleak surroundings. One-by-one, eventually all ten members of the party were meandering on the washed-out floor of the platform enjoying what was there only view of the outside world for years. The reassuring crash of the waves, while startling at first, proved as an anchor to draw them back to the reality: They had finally done it. Their dream was _finally coming_ to fruition. What lay all around them- the ocean, the rock, the screaming gulls overhead- was all real.

"That 2tiill doe2n't an2wer how _we_ are going two get there, TZ." Lispy replied again, still unconvinced and pessimistic.

"There is a city to the west of us that is fairly close. By air it would be around two hours, like Terezi has confirmed for us. Even more to our luck, there were a pair of inflatable rafts in a compartment set into the wall of the stairwell that Dave was leaning against." the other seer, Rose, informed.

"SEE. MY PLANS ARE ALWAYS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THINGS. WE GET BONUSES UP THE ASS THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT SOLLUX? OH, THAT'S RIGHT. YOU CAN'T THINK. IT'S TOO FAR ABOVE YOU." stated the loud shadow smugly.

"That's not much of a bonus. It will still be two days hard sailing in the S.S. SEASTRIDER before we touch ground, and that's only if we don't ironically die of thirst." said the one named Dave, who nonetheless went back and removed one of the durable orange inflatable rafts.

Sollux ignored the loud one and replied "Not iif we use Eriidan. Hey fii2h-fuck! We could actually u2e your help now!"

"Oh, wwhat's this Sol? You land-dwwellers havve finally realized howw badly you all need me? It took you long enough." a cloaked individual stated proudly, continuing "So, wwhat is it that you actually wwant?"

"Pu2h our boat2 liimp-bulge. Iit will get u2 to 2hore fa2ter." replied Sollux shortly, walking over to help Dave inflate the rafts. "We could do iit our2elve2, but iit'2 fa2ter iif we ju2t u2e you for your only good a2pect."

"Wwhatevver Sol, you knoww you wwant me, and I'll be here until you realize it." Eridan muttered sulkily, before strutting away from the group to the edge of the plateau to dangle his feet above the ocean's water until the rafts were blown up.

A little way down from him, also sitting on the rim were two other figures perched over the water, talking amongst themselves. The sudden change from calm to rage in the ebb and flow of the ocean was still in effect and gave them something to watch as they spoke.

"I wish I c0uld've been a bit m0re useful here…. N0ne 0f the spirits in the facility were guards th0ugh. They were all 0nly patients. N0ne of which had any inf0rmati0n about the 0utside w0rld." said figure one, sighing in a disappointed manner.

"Don't be so )(ard on yours)(ellf. I wasn't even asked to do anyfin', so you already did more t)(an I )(ave." replied the other brightly, attempting to cheer up the first figure.

"Thanks Feferi. I'll try t0 keep that in mind." replied the first, getting to her feet and then helping the one named Feferi up before clustering around the now-inflated means of escape.


	2. Chapter 2

_**(**Author's Note: Yes, I know this took a ridiculous amount of time in being put up. I apologize. Final exams take up a lot of my time, and social issues such as a loss of matespriteship have hampered my time for writing for you guys. Now that it's summer though, expect a chapter just about every week or so. Also, I notice that I didn't get any reviews last chapter and it was kind of disappointing, so if you could find it in your heart to take five minutes or less to just say your opinion, ideas, or words of encouragement, I would be unbelievably grateful._

_With Redrom, Icecestro Xi**)**_

Karkat was the first to jump into the rubbery neon confines of the first raft, quickly cramped by another four escapees all piling in to find a seat aboard the egress of the dull, barren plateau, with the rest taking the second vessel until only Eridan was left standing firmly on the ground between both rafts with his arms folded in in a scowl.

"Wworthless land-dwwellers, can't evven push their own glubbin' boats…." He muttered, focusing in quickly on the focal point of his mind and grabbed hold of a flowing pair of violet strips of silk that slowly materialized in his palms. The metaphysical reins were governed by his power, and drew upon his ability to manipulate the flow and form of water by acting as a physical anchor with which to focus the currents.

As the intangible strips of violet were raised higher and higher, water drifted from the edges of the plateau in currents to gather around the reins and form winding ropes, coils of water drifting into the sky in a breathtaking spiral of unsurpassed majesty, before coming together to form a smooth river-seventy feet over the surface of the ocean.

"Why diidn't you ju2t motor u2 through the water that'2 riight down there, you know, iin the OCEAN which ii2 2uppo2ed two be your area of expertii2e?" Sollux asked sarcastically, packed tightly against Karkat in the first raft, which began its ascent onto the path.

"'Cause that wwater's fuckin' filthy, Sol. That's wwhy. I ain't goin' to ruin my clothes wwhen this wway is just as good, if not better," The water-orchestrating boy replied, throwing a wink and sharkish smile back to the rafts, "Because technically Sol: I'm carryin' you back home."

As the rafts rose upwards on the streams of water, Eridan followed by simply walking up the curling streams to the surface of the floating river, and then continued stepping along beside them as though the path was made of solid stone rather than gravity-defying, will-manipulated water.

"You're goiing two get friied a2 2oon a2 we reach land Ampora..."Sollux mumbled to himself, crossing his arms over his knees as he curled into a ball to put space between him and the others in the first raft. Among him were: Karkat, who didn't take up that much space and was currently crunched into as tiny a ball as he could manage to keep from touching anybody; Tavros, who was lying face-down in the raft trying not to notice how high up they were; Dave, who's expression still hadn't changed; and Terezi, who's goal was to get as close to Karkat as possible by practically laying across the top of his head, destroying his chances of keeping people from touching him.

Hours went by, drifting along at a steady pace that brought them closer and closer to a heavily forested shoreline, interrupted by a steady flow of complaints from Karkat, deep breathing sounds from the shuddering Tavros, and occasional exclamations from raft number two as Feferi, Kanaya and Aradia went on about what to do once they reach the mainland.

"CAN'T YOU MAKE US GO ANY FASTER? I THINK TAVROS IS GOING TO EMPTY HIS DIGESTIVE SAC IF WE STAY UP HERE TOO LONG, AND TEREZI CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT PERSONAL SPACE IS."

"OH HUSH K4RK4T, TH1S 1S HOW 1 R34D M1NDS."

"BOTH YOU AND I KNOW THAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS A LOAD OF CRAP." Karkat replied, glaring at Terezi as her widely grinning, upside-down face hung inches in front of his.

"uGHHHHHHHHHHHHH… cAN wE pLEASE, uMMM, sTOP sOON? i dON't fEEL sO gOOD….."

"At lea2t you don't have Ampora over here makiing con2tant 2exual pa22e2…"

"You afraid of breakin' soon, Sol? Are my pick-up lines getting' too good for ya? In that case maybe I'll make it take twice as lo-" Eridan replied, superiority edging into his voice slightly before there was an abrupt grinding noise as the bottom of the raft grinded against the tops of some large conifers.

"Oh look, we're here. Now get us the fuck down. Your sexual advances on Tesla over there are terrible enough to have a danger zone, and are almost enough to make me regret not swimming." Dave interrupted immediately, bringing a deep sigh of exhaustion from Eridan who lowered the reins and let both rafts down slowly into the midst of trees to land onto a bed of moist, mossy earth.

The water marking the trail all cascaded suddenly into rainfall and crashed along behind them and scattered across the ground. Both groups jumped out of their watercrafts as soon as they felt their raft touch the land and started loitering among the trees and stretching out their compacted limb muscles, before finally gathering up around the rafts to talk excitedly and exclaim how amazing it was to finally have actually escaped only to be interrupted by Karkat calmly stepping outside the circle and exclaiming "WE HAVEN'T ESCAPED YET. THEY AREN'T JUST GOING TO LET US GO THAT EASILY. I WANT EVERYONE TO BE ON THEIR GUARD BECAUSE AS YOUR LEADER, I'LL TRY NOT TO LET ANY OF YOU BUMBLEFUCK IDIOTS TO BE TAKEN BACK…." He paused, letting that sink in and clearing his throat quietly, surprised that everyone was actually paying attention, and continued.

"THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO IS FIND A PLACE TO STAY, AND IT HAS TO HAVE A ROOF. TEREZI, YOU AND ROSE ARE ON ROUTE DETAIL. WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW FAR WE ARE FROM SOMEWHERE SAFE TO HIDE. THE BIGGER AND MORE COMPLEX THE LOCALE, THE BETTER. TAVROS, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY CLEAN YOUR FACE AND THEN HELP THE OTHERS SEARCH WITH BIRDS OR SOME SHIT. ERIDAN, HIDE THE BOATS. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY MIND-NUMBINGLY OBVIOUS SUGGESTIONS TO THE CONTRARY ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO?"

The others stared blankly for a few seconds or looked at the ground before Sollux spoke up with, "Well, when ii looked iinto theiir re2earch termiinal2, ii 2aw that theiir were four other e2capee2. That'2 what gave me the iidea for u2 to try and e2cape iin the fiir2t place. We could try and fiind them two fiigure out how two keep hidden until we get onto our own two balance 2upporter2. After all, 2trength iin number2 and all that."

"DO YOU HAVE ANY BETTER INFORMATION THAN 'THEY ESCAPED'? IF THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIDE FROM THE COMPANY FOR SO LONG, HOW ARE _WE_ GOING TO FIND THEM?" stated Karkat, skepticism present in his tone.

"Ye2, a2 a matter of fact ii do, KK." Sollux replied smugly, a satisfied grin forming on his face. "The fiir2t four escaped iin two paiir2. The fiir2t paiir got out eight year2 ago, whiile the other two left only four year2 ago. ii wa2 even able to get theiir name2 and project code2."

"SO EVERY FOUR YEARS THEY HAVE A BREAK OUT AND THEY DON'T BOTHER TO UP SECURITY MEASURES. WHAT KIND OF WORTHLESS INCOMPETENT DID THEY PUT IN CHARGE THERE? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE FIRST PAIR THEN, MR. OH-SO-GLORIOUS HACKER? IF WE ARE GOING TO LOOK FOR THEM, WE'LL NEED SOMETHING TO GO OFF OF." asked Karkat snidely.

Sollux paused for a moment to recall his memories and said,

"Equiiu2 Zahhak and Nepeta Leiijon. Project code2: B100 and AC33"


	3. Send In The Clown

"ii diidn't have enough tiime two break the fiile code2 to 2ee the nature of theiir expiirement2 though, 2o ii won't be able two tell you what two expect once we fiind them. 2tiill, iit'2 better than goiing completely bliind….."

"ALRIGHT, EVERYONE HEARD HIM. THERE ARE OTHER ESCAPEES LIKE US THAT ARE PROBABLY USED TO LIVING OUTSIDE THE FACILITY, SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO IS THIS: FIRST, WE DIVIDE INTO GROUPS AND KEEP SEARCHING FOR A SHELTER TO USE AS OUR BASE OF COMMANDS. SECONDLY, WE REST FOR THE NIGHT EVEN YOU DON'T NEED TO. WE SHOULD BE AT OUR BEST TOMORROW IN CASE THOSE BRUTISH FUCKTARDS THROW SOMETHING AFTER US. LASTLY, WE NEED TO DECIDE WHERE TO GO AFTER TONIGHT."

Karkat wandered to the right slightly and then bent over to pick up a long stick that he dragged along the ground to form three directional arrows and make a large 'X' at the converging point. Two of the arrows curved towards the 'X' and formed a globe shape, while the third went directly towards it between the other two.

"ROSE, KANAYA, AND ERIDAN TAKE THE LEFT ROUTE. CIRCLE AROUND AND MEET UP HERE," Karkat gestured with the stick to the 'X', "TEREZI, DAVE, ARADIA, AND FEFERI- TAKE THE LEFT AND GO ALONG THE BEACH. STAY IN THE WOODLINE AND DON'T BE IDOTIC BULGE-MUNCHERS. SOLLUX AND TAVROS ARE GOING UP THROUGH THE MIDDLE WITH ME. WE WILL ALL MEET UP ABOUT FIVE MILES NORTHWEST OF HERE."

He paused to let everyone form into their groups, vaguely surprised that they were all still following his orders and listening intently. The two seers got into the two flanking groups where Karkat had placed them in to act as communicators. Most of time, the others didn't think much of him as a leader. He had an issue with his temper if he was annoyed or losing at something, but when it came to preparation, Karkat was truly a brilliant strategist…aside from his pride. He used every available opportunity to hold the advantage and left little to chance or luck except when victory was all but certain, which is typically when some counter-attack would present itself and leave him helpless.

At least, he had done so in the battle-simulator countless times….

"ONE LAST THING: IF ANY OF YOU RUN INTO TROUBLE, OR FIND A SHELTER, USE TEREZI AND ROSE TO SIGNAL US. STAY OUT OF SIGHT AND DON'T BE STUPID."

With that, the three groups dispersed and all casually began walking their assigned directions. The weather was getting more humid, and the fog that hid their arrival was starting to dissipate with the sun's ascent. Within minutes, the charcoal grey sweatshirt became too uncomfortable and he was forced to pull it up over his head and tie it around his waist. Sollux just stared at Karkat blankly while Tavros blushed and his eyes widened, before he quickly walked ahead to scan the path.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH YOU TWO? ALL I DID WAS TAKE OFF MY SWEATER. WHY ARE YOU ASS-FONDLERS STARING AT ME LIKE THAT?" asked Karkat, blushing fiercely.

"Well, Tav ii2 riidiiculou2ly iinnocent about that 2ort of thing," Sollux replied, snidely adding " and _**ii **_ju2t love two make you feel iin2ecure. iit's fun two watch you try two be all macho when you're blu2hiing a2 badly a2 Kanaya when Ro2e ii2 around."

"WHATEVER ASSHAT, I AM NOT BLUSHING. THIS IS JUST A SUN-BURN. WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I _CARE_ WHAT YOU NOOK-SUCKERS THINK ABOUT MY BODY? OH, THAT'S RIGHT: NOTHING." Karkat said loudly as he stomped up the path, quickening his pace. Sollux was easily able to catch up and match the speed, while Tavros was still ahead of them. Trees and shrubs passed by, but there was no sign of any real structure.

"You'd better be careful, KK. Wiith that type of attitude, Ampora wiill start chasiing after _you._" The lispy hacker paused a moment to think before correcting himself.

"Actually, go ahead and keep the attiitude. Don't worry at all about 2ome 2ort of fii2hy 2talker comiing after you iin2tead of me from now on."

"OH MY GOG, FUCK YOU SOLLUX FOR EVEN TRYING TO DUMP ERIDAN ON ME. YOU DESERVE HIM, YOU PESSIMISTIC LISPY DOUCHEBAG."

"You know you love me, KK." Replied Sollux, mimicking the boy's distinctive v's and w's with a teasing smirk. He went quiet and they walked in silence for a few moments, the electromancer letting his eyes drop to watch the ground go by beneath them. Karkat was perfectly fine to let the conversation go as he bustled along in a huff of annoyance.

After passing yet another copse of saplings sprouting beneath the larger conifers and oaks, Sollux spoke up again without moving his gaze from the earth, his tone low:

"…What are we goiing to do about the other four, KK? We can't ju2t go along by our2elve2 for two long; people wiill report a bunch of homele22 kiiid2 iin theiir neighborhood becau2e they'll thiink we're there two cau2e trouble…. ii thiink that we 2hould fiind the other2 and a2k for theiir help, even iif iit'2 only for a liittle whiile. ii know how much you dii2liike a2kiing people for help, but we don't know what two expect out here iin the real world and they're the one2 that do."

His monologue was broken by a small sigh as he looked to see Karkat not making any motion to signify comprehension. Then, more to himself than to their 'leader', he continued.

" Even though everyone ii2 beiing 2trong and exciited about fiinally gettiing out, they're 2cared two, KK. You put on the brave2t face of all ju2t two make 2ure nobody feel2 afraiid , becau2e iif they know that you beliieve iit wiill turn out okay, then they can beliieve that iit wiill two…..But we can't do thii2 by our2elve2, Karkat. You know that, and 2o do ii. Plea2e thiink about puttiing away your priide 2o that we can 2urviive."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

(Somewhere back underneath the island: )

Shadowy figures surround a table in the center of a room, dimly lit only by the electric glow of a large screen that was the room's fourth wall, currently displaying the interlocking letters MSM in old English font.

Those around the table were currently in a quiet, but heated, argument, broken up by energetic fists or palms occasionally slamming down on the table to emphasize a point. This went on some time before the screen abruptly brightened up and cast away some of the gloom to make the figures facial profiles more visible.

On one side of the table there was a bald, well-groomed man dressed in a blazing white suit and a felt-green bow-tie sitting perfectly poised with his hands steeped together next to a younger, less upright young lady with long black hair who continued to twiddle with a pencil while trying to look as bored as possible.

Across from them was a young man with short ginger hair and a determined scowl. He hardly seemed old enough to be in this sort of place, with large red dimples and bright amber eyes, but to combat that he had an aura of anger and determination that simply screamed genocide.

Next to him was another young gentleman, but this one had a much calmer aura and a face that gave away no emotions, but noted everything carefully behind a set of pointy triangle shades. His hair was a blonde that was almost white and was styled to seem permanently windswept. All in all, he would've made a perfect posterboy for either Japanese media, or an assassin's firm. At the end of the table opposite the screen sat a vacant chair, but it was well used.

From the screen came a flowing voice of perfect melody, projecting the qualities of youth, content, and precision.

"_Soooooooo_, we've had yet another 8reach of security, have we?"

"Yes, Marquise. It is being looked in to currently, but we have reason to suspect it is another attempt by Guardian Angel to delay our research. Apparently she broke several of our encryptions to allow data to feed into the electromancer's terminal. He assisted the group's escape and coordinated them to the emergency exit. From there, intelligence gathers that they employed project Aquarius who dropped them into a forest on the coastline." The man in whit reclined into the chair slightly before adding, "All in all an impressive feat. I would give them high marks in all except their method of transport, which, though flashy and beautiful, was inappropriate for a stealthy departure."

"Thank you, Doctor. Now does any8ody have any useful suggestions as to how we recapture them, or are we simply getting together for a peaceful cup of tea? No? Good. Seeing that Mister Makara is not present to o8ject, I suggest we employ the use of his son, project 8ard. 8ecause it is outside of the ur8an zone, there is little chance of any passer8y spotting the play of action. Make sure to have the area quarantined to all law enforcement and safety personnel, and declare a temporary no-fly zone for aircraft. I don't want the media flying over all this 8ecause I don't have the wish to silence them all once more."

"Yes Marquise. We will deploy project Bard as soon as the meeting is adjourned and ensure that your requested measures are taken. Is that all you require for now?"

"Yes….Wait, no. One more thing: In the event that the targets leave the quarantine, utilize project Spider's Eye to track them in cooperation with the Bard. How is my sister doing by the way?" The voice asked uncertainly, gaining a hint of interest.

"She didn't respond well to the mental stimulant, and we were forced to amputate her arm to prevent further flow of it into her mind. It strengthened her powers tremendously, but at a continued rate, it would've torn her body to shreds. She is currently being fit with a mechanical neuro-prosthetic from a private contractor to replace the lost limb."

"Peeeeeeeerrrrffectttt…" The voice replied with a hiss of sadistic pleasure. "Now send in the clown."

And with that, the screened darkened one more into an ambient glow and left the room cloaked in shadows.

If the Marquise had been there, she would have most certainly had a wide, violent grin on her face.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Hey Dave, look! It's a krillbox!" Feferi exclaimed happily, jumping around in a circle to broadcast her excitement and maybe transfer it through osmosis with the air. She pointed towards a squat grey building that sat shortly behind the wood-line and was gated off by an old fence. It had a heavy-looking, rust-coated metal door on one side and no windows to be see. From the roof, one long antenna connected to a wire that went down the side of the structure and into the ground.

"I don't 'sea' why that required a pun, but thanks for spotting." Dave said nonchalantly, smirking, before he started jogging towards it.

The others looked and began sprinting as well, and Terezi starting sending a telepathic signal to Rose and Tavros as they rushed to touch the flimsy fence and check the door. Aradia quickly volunteered to open up the building and pushed against the solid steel of the door but to no avail.

The other three quickly took place next to her, set their feet firmly and counted down.

"Alright, let's break open this shitty door like you'd break open a fresh can of kick-ass Strider smarts. Ready? Three. Two. One. Now push." Dave said, somehow making the last part not sound like the exclamation it should've been.

Relenting, the door gave way with a screech of metal dragging against the concrete floor and revealed the interior of the squat hut.

"Well guy's seeing that I was first inside, may I take the pleasure to welcome you to Chez Strider. Make yourself at home and try not to screw shit up worse than Eridan's love prospects."


	4. Memory Lane

"WHY ARE THERE SO MANY GOGDAMN CANOPY-PROVIDERS HERE? WHO EVEN NEEDS THIS MANY. THEY JUST MAKE THINGS HARDER TO SEE." Karkat muttered, just to fill the silence that lay around them. Even though he would never admit it to the others, he hated the quiet that comes with being alone. Sollux had been right about him, dammit, though he didn't want to give the electromancer the satisfaction of acknowledging it. "HOW MUCH FURTHER IS IT GOING TO BE TAVROS."

"nOT MUCH uMMM, fURTHER. tHEY SAY THAT THERE iS A hOUSE RIGHT UP aHEAD." The two informant squirrels ran back up the trunk of a nearby 'canopy-provider' and disappeared into a bundle of leaves far above. Karkat folded his arms and slouched forward slightly as he walked, a deep grimace still imprinted on his face while two eyes scanned back and forth along the tree line. Though Tavros had no potential as a combat operative, his abilities were perfect for a reconnaissance unit, and proved invaluable to Karkat to ensure communication with the other groups remained a strong constant.

Sure enough, the sounds of lapping waves against a dry, sandy beach drifted from ahead of them, followed by a squat cement building housed in a grassy clearing. The sun setting behind them covered the whole area in shadows from the trees, and started letting a chill set itself in the air. Sections of fiery orange-red light provided brief reprieve as the trio sprinted quickly to the rusted door and pounded against it, breathing hard.

"HOW THE GRUB-FUCKING WASTE-LOAD DID IT GET SO COLD THIS FAST? ITS FREEZING NOW AND I WAS JUST SECRETING ENOUGH LIQUID FROM MY FLESH CORRUGATIONS TO FILL A…..HEY. WHY AREN'T THEY ANSWERING THE DOOR. THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO BE HERE. DIDN'T THEY SAY THAT THEY WERE HERE?!" Karkat pounded his fist against the door harder, more urgently.

"KK, calm down. Maybe they ju2t went two meet u2 half-way." Sollux said, worry creeping under his tone. The statement was more a question than any real belief.

They waited a moment, listening for any noises from inside. Tavros paced anxiously, and Karkat's heartbeat began to quicken.

Nothing.

"…c'mon, let'2 look for another way iin2iide. iit'2 obviiou2 that nobody ii2 goiing to open the door for u2." Sollux suggested.

"TAVROS, CAN YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE DOOR?" Karkat asked, turning to Tavros, who was frowning worriedly.

Tavros shook his head sadly, in apology. "i'M REALLY, uMMM, sORRY kARKAT. tHERE AREN'T ANY nIGHTBEASTS aWAKE YET, aND I ALREADY sENT tHE sCAMPER-bEASTS BACK TO tHEIR hIVES."

Karkats grimace deepened. He turned and started walking around the building to find a way in. He made it almost halfway around before spotting a window. It was broken, and jagged pieces stuck in at strange angles.

It had been shattered inwards.

Deep purple blood covered the tips of some of the shards of glass, dripping slowly down to the sill.

From inside, the recognizable stench of death and decay drifted out through the open space.

Karkat stood, stunned. "No…..No..No. NO. NO. NONONONONONO!AGHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed, falling to his knees.

"WHY DID THEY HAVE TO SEND THAT FREAK AFTER US?! WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN JUST REGULAR HIRED FLESH-SACKS!? AT LEAST THEN WE MIGHT HAVE HAD A FUCKING _CHANCE _AT ESCAPING!"

"KK, what are you talkiing about?! What'2 goiing on?!" Sollux asked, starting to get frightened.

"THERES ONLY ONE EXPERIMENT WITH THAT FUCKING ATROCIOUS BLOOD COLOR, AND THAT EXPERIMENT IS PROJECT BARD. HES ONE OF THE GOGDAMN HIGH COURT AND THERES NO WAY WE CAN FACE HIM ALONE. IF HE IS STILL AS RIDICULOUSLY STRONG AS WHEN I SAW HIM, WE NEED TO RUN FAR AWAY FROM HERE RIGHT NOW." Karkat said hurriedly, rushing to his feet and grabbing Sollux's wrist, tugging him away from the dark, gaping, bloody window. The yellow-blood stumbled at first before catching his balance and sprinting beside Karkat.

Tavros had already taken slow steps backwards away from the shack as Karkat spoke, eyes getting wider with fear, before turning around and running back into the trees when the others started moving.

The three experiments sped through the forest, dark trees now whipping by at their sides and unfamiliar sounds echoing against the wood. Far away, Karkat could swear he could hear the haunting 'honk' of a mirthful bike horn go off in the distance behind them, just once, softly, before fading away.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXXXXoooooooooooooooooooooo oooXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Under a cluster of boulders that formed a natural cave, they finally stopped and decided to make camp. Quick improvisations were scavenged to conceal their presence, and a small fire was lit in the stone-walled chamber to keep the biting cold at bay from sweat-drenched bodies. Holes in the structure of the ceiling allowed for ventilation of the smoke, and shirts were hung over the fire by a pole to dry out. The kids sat next to each other, knees drawn in and backs pressed against the wall.

"KK, you have two tell u2 what we are dealing wiith here. ii need two know what we are fiightiing iif we are goiing two be able two protect the other2."

"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND SOLLUX? HES _HIGH COURT_. WE CANT FIGHT HIM. HED CULL ALL THREE OF US IN ONE FUCKING GO IF WE DONT KEEP OUT OF HIS REACH. THE OTHERS HAD MORE COMBAT-CLASS OPERATIVES AND LOOK WHAT HE DID TO THEM. TAVROS IS A PASSIVE OPERATIVE, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO LAST LONG ENOUGH TO TIRE HIM OUT, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO USE MY NOOK-FONDLING ASPECT YET. THE CHANCES OF US EVEN BOTHERING HIM WITH OUR ATTACKS ARE AS EXISTENT AS THE CHANCES OF US MAKING IT TO THE TWO OTHERS HIVE YOU WERE MENTIONING EARLIER. WHICH, JUST IN CASE YOUR THINK-PAN COULDNT WRAP AROUND THE BLATANT CONCEPT, IS: FUCKING NONE."

Karkat let his head sink to his knees and drew himself into a tighter ball. His voice muffled, he added, "WELL BE LUCKY IF ANY OF THE OTHERS WERE EVEN ABLE TO ESCAPE THAT PSYCHO."

Sollux just sat quietly in thought for a moment, staring with concern at the small form of their leader who right now seemed so fragile. Tavros followed suit with Karkat and hugged more tightly around his own shins, sadness and worry for the others invading his thoughts.

"Well we have two do 2omethiing…and we are goiing two need you two lead u2. We can't do thii2 by our2elve2, KK. You fuck up a lot of thiing2 mo2t of the tiime, but there ii2n't anybody el2e who can deal wiith u2 liike you do."

"WELL THANKS ASSHOLE. THAT HIT ME RIGHT IN MY SENSITIVE VASCULAR PUMP ORGAN. ILL BE SURE TO WRITE A MOTIVATIONAL FUCKING MEMO USING THOSE EXACT WORDS NEXT TIME I SEE A PORTABLE NETWORKING DEVICE" Karkat replied sarcastically, still stressed but noticeably less so than he had been moments before.

"Good. ii'll be 2ure to fiind you a 2erver two ho2t iit and let everyone wiitne22 the glory that ii2 Karkat'2 lack of iinner thought. Maybe you can even make a whole adventure out of iit and furnii2h iit wiith 2hiitty drawiing2 made iin a low-grade art program. You'll have endle22 mountaiin2 of bulge-wor2hiippiing fan2 that all dre22 up like you and get together iin 2ome biizarre human riitual of mediia 2upport."

Karkat stared blankly back at Sollux for a handful of seconds before replying slowly, "WHO THE JEGUS FUCK WOULD WASTE THEIR WHOLE DAY DRESSING AND ACTING LIKE SOMEBODY THEYIDOLIZE? EVEN THE THOUGHT OF SOMETHING THAT CREEPY BRINGS A DISGUSTING TASTE INTO MY FLAVOR ANALYZING CHAMBER."

Sollux smirked, having brought his friend out of the state of depression he had been in. "ii know. ii can barely 2tand one of you. ii doubt thii2 planet would be able two handle the 2heer iincompetence brought on by haviing a whole bunch of you2 all 2crewiing thiing2 up."

"i tHINK tHAT sOUNDS kIND oF fUN tHOUGH. sOMETIMES, wHEN lIFE iS rEALLY hARD oN yOU, iT fEELS gOOD tO bE sOMEBODY eLSE, eVEN iF iTS uHHHH, oNLY fOR a lITTLE wHILE …" Tavros added thoughtfully.

A reflective pause on what the young boy had said came over the three, pushing out the permeating feeling of fear to replace it with wishful thinking….

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXXXXXXXoooooooooooooooooooo oXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Bard crouched over to wipe deep red, coagulating blood off from one of his two clubs onto the bodies that lay in front of him in a pool of the same. The forms were beaten to an unidentifiable pulp and broken at odd angles to contort the bodies into something more resembling a pile of pummeled meat or a crushed cow than actual people. The top half of their skulls had both been cracked completely off after a few blows, sending chunks of brain matter scattering across the floor towards the door its owner had desperately been trying to reach.

"MoThErFuCkErS DiDn'T eVeN tRy To PuT uP a FiGhT. ThAt'S sOmE kInD oF dISaPpOiNtInG, BrO. HoNk." The purple-blood smiled dreamily down at the corpses, licking a stream of blood from the other club just as a loud scream came from outside the window, causing him to stop and face the shattered glass.

He could hear two voices coming from directly outside, talking about….Well, talking about _him_.

The lazy smile grew wider, exposing sharp, pointed teeth, and his hazy eyes came back into relative focus.

This shit was gonna be too easy.

While the two voices rapidly retreated, their hasty footsteps beating the ground, Project Bard slowly stood up, unlocked the steel door and stepped out into the chill evening air. A cool breeze sent a refreshing shiver up his spine, letting his long, stringy legs and arms stretch out before turning to lope silently after the runners with a single, "HoNk."

It wasn't hard to find them, even though he was sidetracked several times by some motherfucking sweet miracles of the canopy-provider nation: Colorful as fuck flutterbeasts; liquid running down a hill in a path that never seemed to run out; orange, red, and brown canopy-provider material falling from their families in the sky…..

From a concealed branch in a tall tree, the purple-blood watched the three make their camp in a set of boulders and attempt to mask their presence from his keen senses. Every once in a while, he would let out a honk of amusement to watch the reaction of the short stubby one, who tensed up and quickly looked back and forth around him before shaking it off and finishing preparations.

When complete darkness fell and the three went into their makeshift shelter, the hazy boy climbed acrobatically down from the tree and jumped from a lower branch to the roof of their hive. Right next to him were ventilation holes, one of which was large enough to fit through and jump down into the room below.

The murderer tensed up his muscles for the leap, listening to their words carefully to determine their places in the chamber…..

He set his hands to grasp the handles of his brutal clubs as soon as he landed….

And then he-

"i tHINK tHAT sOUNDS kIND oF fUN tHOUGH. sOMETIMES, wHEN lIFE iS rEALLY hARD oN yOU, iT fEELS gOOD tO bE sOMEBODY eLSE, eVEN iF iTS uHHHH, oNLY fOR a lITTLE wHILE …"

The Bard relaxed his muscles, letting his hands fall away from the clubs, his dreamlike smile slowly furrowed into a frown of concentration. The statement brought on a feeling of sympathy…it hit something inside him that he didn't quite remember.

Fighting through the mangled, drug-injected mass of tissue that served as his brain, a memory resurfaced:

It was him, back when he was little. He was sitting on the couch waiting for his dad to come home from the place he worked. He had to wait a long time every day until his daddy would get back and open the door so that he could go and hug him around his big, tall knees. Whenever the purple-blood would ask where his daddy went all day, and why he couldn't come home sooner, his dad would reply, "I help people on the street to keep them safe, Gamzee. If I don't go to work every day, a whole bunch of bad people will fight in the street and they might hurt people like you and me."

Still, it was lonely a lot of the time. Sometimes daddy wouldn't even come home at night. He wouldn't be able to get the hugs that he….Gamzee….waited a really long time to give him….

He used to get really sad when daddy was gone and he was alone, so he tried to imagine what it would be like if he and his daddy went on all sorts of adventures together to the places he saw in his picture books.

There were really cool things in the far-away places, like giraffes and rainbows and pyramids, and he thought it would be fun to spend time with his daddy seeing those things together.

His daddy was always busy though…

One day, Gamzee asked where all the fun things came from in his books. His daddy lowered his head, and a big, happy smile spread across his face. He looked back into Gamzee's wide, innocent eyes and said:

"Miracles, Gamzee. Never forget that. Even if things seem hard, the world is full of miracles that were made to make us happy. A lot of big people forget about them. I'm lucky though, because I have you, my Little Miracle."

With that, his daddy wrapped soft arms around him in a big, warm hug…and…..and….

Suddenly, The Bard was thrown back out of the memory, a sudden pain searing his through his brain.

"Oh shit, Bro…." Gamzee said to the world quietly, overwhelmed by the power of sheer raw emotion. Tears were streaming down his face and the urge to cry was overpowering, twisting his face into the expression of someone who knew loneliness better than anything else. He stumbled a few steps, staring with wide, crying eyes out into nothing as if hoping the memory would replay itself on a screen in front of him.

"Please, Bro. Please show me it again…I-I don't wanna let him go yet….. )o;"

Of course though, the world didn't feel that merciful for any one person; the world felt no compassion for the sad or the lonely; and the world kept spinning, ignoring the weeping high-blood's only wish.

After realizing that the world wasn't listening, the purple-blood crumbled into a pile and sobbed quietly to himself. Deep inside, his heart throbbed painfully.

==Damn, that was depressing .-. Be the Other Group


	5. Badlywrittenromance

Chapter Five:

"OH SHIT! Watch out for the window!" Dave yelled.

There was a shattering of glass, a loud thump, a few drops of warm blood and…..

…..Aradia cursing loudly from outside the window she had just flown through.

Footsteps thumped loudly outside the wall in exaggerated frustration, as she stomped back to the large, rusty iron door and knocked softly.

" Are y0u g0ing t00 let me in, 0r am I sleeping 0utside all 0f the sudden,"

" I dunno. Ask nicely and I'll tell ya." Dave said back nonchalantly.

"Come on, Dave, don't be mean tuna her 38(" Feferi remarked disapprovingly, as she rose from the floor and undid the bolt to let Aradia inside.

The maroon-blood stepped quietly through the passage and pushed the door closed with her telekinetic ability, placing the bolt back into its resting place.

"If you could that, why didn't you just open the door yourself?" Dave asked in a bored tone.

"I have t0 be able t0 see what I'm m0ving, 0therwise I can't c0ntr0l it in an articulate way. I w0uld end up just ripping the b0lt thr0ugh the wall 0r bl0wing it 0ff." the girl replied, voice monotone. Whenever she would explain something in detail, her voice seemed to lose all inflection or emotion, like the machines they were taught by. Lifting her hand, she gathered her force around the shattered frame and started putting the pieces back into place slowly, melding them together by making each piece vibrate rapidly, generating friction enough to bond with other pieces.

"I could've done that in less time ya know. In fact, you could say I could do it in-" the cool kid paused, smirking, "No time at all."

"Yes, I kn0w, Dave. Y0ur sheer 'c00lness' w0uld make the wind0w eagerly ref0rm itself f0r the slightest chance 0f getting t0 catch the even faintest reflecti0n 0f y0ur expressi0nless face." Aradia explained sarcastically.

"Nah, it's not my coolness. I'm just that sexy." Dave replied, still smirking.

" 38/ Oh my cod, Dave, just let Aradia fix the glubbing-"

"GUYS, SHUT UP. 1M TRY1NG TO L1ST3N TO TH3 M3SS4G3 ROS3 S3NT." Terezi broke in, interrupting the sarcastic one-upsmanship show.

"38D Krilly!? Are they almost pier then?" Feferi exclaimed happily, bouncing up and down on the ratty old green couch they found inside.

"1 4M TRY1NG TO F1ND TH4T OUT. PL34S3 STOP T4LK1NG FOR 4 T3NT4S3COND." The seer replied, red eyes closing. Her face scrunched in effort as she attempted to retrieve the message that Rose had left within her own mind. Though Terezi could read anybody's mind, only other seers could actually label memories they specifically wanted to remember as important. Normally, it would only be for their own memory retrieval, but because the Seer of Mind could invade other's thoughts, those labeled memories became like well-organized files in a law office.

"SH3 S4YS TH4T TH3Y FOUND ANOTHER P1LLBOX L1K3 TH1S ON3, BUT 1T H4D TWO D34D HUM4NS 1N 1T. 4LSO TH4T TH3Y 4R3 L3SS TH4N H4LF 4 M1L3 4W4Y 4ND W1LL B3 H3R3 'SHORTLY'." she announced, opening her eyes, the tension leaving her features. "1 H4V3 NO 1D34 HOW LONG 'SHORTLY' 1S."

Dave remarked, returning back to an apathetic poker face. "With her, 'shortly' could be anywhere from a half of a whole fucking day, to as long as it takes to woo a random dame with my strider charm. It's like the god of clocks just took her entire sense of time and gave it all to me, because he wanted to make sure I didn't try to get all up in his heavenly turf with my sick beats."

"Dave, you've never eelin wooed a girl before 38/ We've been locked in that crab since we were T—E—ENY little t-otter-lers." Feferi stated skeptically. Aradia just grinned slightly in agreement while she finished patching the window carefully. Terezi just watched Dave with interest in his what his response would be.

Dave leaned forward as a smirk came back across his lips. He let his shades slide down only enough to show his bright red eyes, staring directly back at Feferi's.

"How do you know I haven't already got one of you, but just haven't pulled the string yet?" the boy said with a provocative wink.

Feferi blushed mildly and quieted down, but Terezi let out a wild cackle.

"D4V3 YOU WOULDN'T 3V3N KNOW WH3R3 TO ST4RT 1F YOU TR13D 'WOO1NG' ON3 OF US." the seer said with a wide grin, walking halfway to chronomancer.

"Oh, really? Is that a challenge Pyrope?" Dave replied smoothly, raising an eyebrow and meeting her there. By the end of the statement, his face was inches away from hers, his shades reflecting her face. He was a few inches taller than she was, so he had to angle his gaze downwards slightly, and she upwards.

Their smiling lips were only an inch from touching as they continued holding the impromptu staring contest to see who would break first.

Deciding to cut her losses, she awarded Dave with a lick on the end of his nose before turning 180 and striding back to her chair, falling back into the worn red cushions with a huge victorious smile.

Dave on the other hand, stood there for a moment, stunned, eyes wide, before regaining his cool kid demeanor. Luckily, no one noticed his slip up besides the seer, so no Strider swag was lost while he went back to reclining on the last horrid piece of furniture they had.

Another thing no one noticed was how the door was now wide open and Rose, Kanaya, and Eridan all stood in the doorway looking back and forth between Dave and Terezi blankly. Until Rose spoke up, of course.

"So….where's the huge white cake and overly-dramatic, slurred toasts made by drunken party-goers?"

Aradia burst out laughing, its warmth filling the room causing Dave to blush slightly but make no change of cool expression.

Now united, the two groups shut the door and waited for the last of their friends to show up and join their new temporary Home, because it wasn't just a house when they were all together…..

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx00000000000000000000000000 00000000xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX


End file.
